1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a walking machine and, more particularly, to a walking machine having a very narrow profile which can walk and maneuver in very confined areas.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has long been known that it would be advantageous to develop a machine that walks rather than one driven by wheels or treads because a machine with legs can operate in areas and on terrain where wheeled or treaded vehicles cannot go. Knowing this, numerous attempts have been made over the years to develop a walking machine. However, the problems in developing such a machine have been so formidable that to this time, no satisfactory machine exists. These problems include coordinating the movement of the various legs, teaching the machine how to sense its environment so that each foot lands properly, and teaching the machine balance so that it does not fall over. The simple fact of the matter is that while walking is second nature to people and animals, it is extremely complex for computers and robots.
The computer, with its ability to process enormous amounts of data and actuate suitable commands, promises to make the control of the legs of a walking machine a manageable problem. As a result, a number of researchers around the world have been working on the development of various different types of walking machines.
Most walking machines that have been proposed heretofore are very large, bulky and cumbersome objects. This highly limits their usefulness. It would be highly desirable to have a walking machine which could be able to walk and maneuver in very confined areas, such as down narrow hallways and through doors. This has not been achieved heretofore.
Most walking machines proposed heretofore have a defined front, rear and sides. Thus, the machine has different operating characteristics depending on its orientation. Therefore, if the walking machine is moving in one direction and needs to change direction, it is necessary for it to turn around. This is often very difficult when working in confined areas. Thus, it would be highly desirable to provide a walking machine which has omnidirectionality in the sense that it can walk in any direction with the same efficiency as in any other direction. With such a capability, a machine can walk down a narrow hallway with the body oriented in a given direction and then simply move in another direction down another hallway without the necessity o the body rotating. Again, such has been unattainable heretofore.
In copending application Ser. No. 476,558 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,511,011 filed concurrently herewith, entitled Leg Mechanism for Walking Machine, and assigned to Odetics, Inc. the assignee of the present application, there is disclosed a leg mechanism for a walking machine including a plurality of links arranged in a pantograph mechanism, which links are able to fold past each other so that the legs can tuck in close to the body, permitting a machine to which such legs are attached to have a small profile so that it can maneuver in areas that are as small as a human being can maneuver in.
In copending application Ser. No. 476,583, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,502,566 filed concurrently herewith, entitled Vertical Actuator Mechanism for the Legs of a Walking Machine, and assigned to Odetics, Inc., the assignee of the present application, there is further disclosed the basic details of forming a leg mechanism from a pantograph so as to achieve isolation between the mechanisms which drive the machine foot horizontally and vertically. That application also teaches the broad concept of an actuator mechanism for driving the foot vertically. The vertical actuator mechanism maintains the vertical position of the foot as the foot is driven horizontally.
In copending application Ser. No. 476,566 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,503,924 filed concurrently herewith, entitled Horizontal Actuator Mechanism for the Legs of a Walking Machine, and assigned to Odetics, Inc., the assignee of the present application, there is disclosed a horizontal actuator mechanism for the pantograph leg mechanism of a walking machine which allows small, fast motors to be used in applying the horizontal actuation force.
Upon review of these applications, the problem remains to attach the leg mechanisms to a machine body to overcome the problems discussed hereinabove. This is the primary objective of the present invention.